St Joseph's, Tara - Term 2 Week 4 2024 Newsletter!

Our Vision & Mission Statements

From the Principal

Welcome to the Term 2 Week 4 Newsletter!

Australian Government Choice and Affordability Program. 

This program provides funding for non-government schools to facilitate parental choice and opportunity, giving parents the ability to choose an affordable school that will best suit their individual child. Again this year, St Joseph’s will use these government funds to reduce school fees for all families at the rate of $100 per student in Term 2. You will notice that your next monthly statement this term will have been reduced by this amount and I wish to acknowledge this financial support provided by the Australian government to assist all families who choose St Joseph’s. 

Potential Changes to the current P&F Model 

Exciting new way for parents to get involved at St Joseph’s School, Tara 

 In a recent notification sent out via the Parent Portal, the P&F have been exploring a new model for getting our community together, to socialise, to discuss important issues and to share in the education of our children.  

 We are now coming to you, to share an option that I believe will work best for our community and to get your views. 

Whilst there is an option to maintain our current P&F and a School Advisory Council, we believe the better option for St Joseph’s is a single Parent Engagement Network (PEN). 

A PEN would be led by an executive team with school, parish and parent representation. Their role will be to plan the activities of the PEN and align these with achieving the priorities of the school contained within our Strategic and Annual Action Plans. This will include forums, where parents come together to discuss specific topics of interest and to provide their advice and point of view; and working parties that get in and ‘do’ projects and arrange events and activities that bring our school community together.  

 Linked below is the model constitution for the Parent Engagement Network option. 

LINK TO MODEL CONSTITUTION 

We are now asking all parents to answer the following question, to determine support to establish a Parent Engagement Network – replacing the current P&F model. 

This consultation will close on THURSDAY 16TH MAY. 

Do you support the creation of the Parent Engagement Network for our school community?​ 

• yes 
• no 

Click here to provide your view. 

Thank you in advance for sharing your view. 

Winter Uniforms 

Thank you to those families who have supported the school in ensuring that students are wearing their school uniform correctly and with pride. Wearing a school uniform correctly shows the community that we have a sense of pride for who we are and what we represent here at St Joseph’s.  

How did the school uniform begin for Catholic schools? The Catholic sisters and nuns who began schools introduced the wearing of a uniform to ensure there was equity between all students. All Catholic schools still consider this an important aspect of showing equality to all students who are enrolled and therefore all Catholic schools have a specific uniform and a policy that this uniform should be adhered to.   

As we come into winter, a reminder of the items which can be worn.  

• Navy track pants 
• Navy blue leggings under skorts or shorts 
• Navy or white skivvy/long sleeved shirt to be worn under the school polo shirt 
• School jumper/jacket/parka 
• Warm head and hand wear such as beanies or gloves should be navy, light blue or white in colour 

Please ensure that you make contact with the office if you have any questions, concerns or would like to clarify if your child’s items of clothing are appropriate so that we can ensure there is equity for all students and families.  

Afternoon Pick Up Success 

Thank you to all families who have supported our new afternoon pick up trial. It has proven very successful for many reasons. We are having less students miss buses due to waiting at the pickup gate and vice versa, students who go home on the bus when they should have been on pick up.  

It has also been wonderful to see many parents and carers coming into the eating area to sit and wait for their children and having the time to chat with myself and staff and other parents/carers. It is wonderful to see and hear the conversations occurring.  

A reminder that all students are to be collected from the eating area and will not be sent out to the gate as we need to stay in view of the bus duty teacher and bus gate. Please remember to always contact the office if your family’s afterschool routine needs to change so we can ensure all are safely collected.  

Photo Day 

Thank you to all families who supported the early start to our day yesterday. We greatly appreciated the parents who remained with their children until our staff came on duty. Our staff work very long hours and so the extra 20 minutes in the morning was very much appreciated.  

Principal’s Forum next week 

I will be away all of next week in Stanthorpe at the termly Principal’s Forum. This is a week of professional development for myself to ensure that our community is achieving at its best.  

While I am away, Tara Fisher will be deputising so any questions or concerns you have can be directed through her. 

God bless,

Kylie Williams

"Always remember to help and be of service to others." ~ Mary MacKillop.

"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you." John 15:12

From the APRE

Mother’s Day 

Sunday is Mother’s Day! It is ultimately a time to celebrate the mother figures in our lives, who love us unconditionally. All these wonderful people contribute and support our community and for that we need to say a big thank you.  

 Mary, mother of Jesus, is perhaps the greatest mother in history. While her life held great honour in being the mother of Jesus, it was also one of great suffering. In many ways she behaved as mothers today do, when the wine was running out at the wedding in Cana it was Mary who pressed Jesus to do something. As a small boy when Jesus was lost in the temple, it was Mary who became worried and searched for Him and in many instances throughout his life she attempts to protect him. Mary, as His mother, was present at both his birth and earthly death. Through her life we see that motherhood can hold both great joy and great suffering. This makes us think about our own mothers, what memories come to the surface? Are there particular stories that make you laugh, cry or annoyed all over again? What are the greatest lessons that you learnt from your mother and importantly how did she teach them to you? Motherhood is the greatest role and responsibility that women may have. How will you teach your child, show your child, walk with your child through everything you want for them? How will you develop adults that may become parents themselves? These larger questions are addressed through the daily struggle of not only being a mother but a taxi driver, a nurse, a counsellor, a cook, a cleaner, a coach and the list could go on and on. We pray that you all had a wonderful day relaxing last Sunday and were spoilt rotten by your families. You all certainly deserve it.   

We will celebrate Mother’s Day with a liturgy on Monday at 2.20pm in the church. Please feel free to join us. 

Learning at St Joeys

Year 2 - 3 Classroom

English and Literacy 

This term English is all about persuasion. Students will be exploring a text-based unit to learn about using modal verbs and conjunctions to write quality persuasive texts. The unit is based around the text Jetty Jumping by Andrea Rowe and Hannah Sommerville (2021), which links with the explicit teaching of persuasive texts as students are required to express if they think Milla should jump or not and explain why.  

As a class, students will focus on expanding literacy skills. They will combine vocabulary, grammar, handwriting, dictation and spelling to provide a research backed set of skills that support students in their learning and understanding of the English curriculum. 

Religion 

Throughout Term 2, students will identify aspects of God’s nature as revealed in the Bible. They will make connections between Jesus’ teachings and actions and the way members of the Church community live today. Students will pose questions about the life and times of Jesus and use sources provided to research the answers these questions. 

Mathematics 

In Term 2, students will learn to interpret data through the collection and display of data. With guidance, they will undertake a range of investigations by posing suitable questions that allow them to collect meaningful data, that can be represented and interpreted. Students will recognise the features of different representations and report on these findings. Year 2 students will continue to consolidate their understanding of addition and subtraction. Year 3 students will explore the connection between multiplication and division. They will explore measuring using weight and 2- and 3-D shapes.  

Science 

In Term 2, students will identify ways to change materials without changing the material composition. They will learn to classify solids and liquids based on observable properties and describe how to cause a change of state. Students will describe how people use science in their daily lives and how patterns can be used to make scientific predictions. They will conduct safe investigations and fair tests. Students will compare their findings with their peers and explain their findings by using scientific vocabulary to communicate those findings.  

HaSS 

Term 2 HaSS is all about the investigation of how The First Australians are connected to Country and Place. The unit will explore how communities lived in the past, such as their forms of transport, types of technology and their natural and built environments. Students will investigate the causes and effects of changes to these aspects of a community. They will identify how and why people participate in, and contribute to, communities and look at the different groups and individuals that contribute to changes in these communities. Students will research, interpret and communicate their learned knowledge. 

From the Parish

St Mary Of The Angels - Tara

New Mass Times

Tara: Sunday: 9am

on the 1st & 3rd Sunday of the month

Meandarra: Sunday: 11am

on the 3rd Sunday of the month

The Catholic Fete will not go ahead this year.

St Joseph's Awards

Bronze Awards

Jaxson de Beock, Ivy-Grace Andersen, Torben Andersen, Leakella Norford and Jorjah Furniss 

Students Of The Week

Week 3 - Flynn Burgess, Craig Kerr, Jaxson de Boeck, Charlotte Partridge, and Bentley Tucker

Week 4 - No Assembly this week due to public holiday (Labour Day)

From the Administration Officers

School fee reminder letters will be emailed out to families this afternoon. Thank you to all families for making weekly/fortnightly/term contributions to their customer accounts. This certainly makes my job as finance administrator easier.

If you need any financial assistance, be sure to come in and see myself or Kylie to see how we can help. It is completely confidential!

HOW TO PAY YOUR SCHOOL FEES:

*Cash / Cheque, at the office.

*BPoint, in person at the office or over the phone.

*Direct Deposit:
Bank: ADF
Name: St Joseph’s School
BSB: 064-786
ACC: 100-025-583
Reference: Your Name                         

*Centrelink Centrepay Deduction Payments can be made fortnightly or monthly.                     The School’s CRN: 555075545A

*Direct Debit: COMING SOON!!

Not Sure how it’s done?  Ask at the office for assistance.

Term Dates

2024

Term 1 2024 – Tue 23 Jan (Public Hol 26 Jan) - Thur 28 Mar

(Good Friday 29 Mar)

Term 2 2024 –(Student Free Day 15 Apr) Tue 16 Apr - Fri 21 Jun 

Term 3 2023 – (Student Free Day 08 Jul) Tue 09 Jul - Fri 13 Sep

Term 4 2023 –(Kings B'day 07 OCT) Mon 30 Sep - Wed 04 Dec

(Travel Day's Thur 5 Dec & Fri 6 Dec)

Wellbeing Matters

Student Safety

EVERY CHILD HAS THE RIGHT TO FEEL SAFE

It is a legislative requirement that all non-state schools have at least two nominated staff members to whom a student can report the behaviour of another staff member that the student considers inappropriate.  We call these specially trained staff members School Student Protection Contacts, or SSPCs.  Each SSPC has been nominated by the principal in recognition of their integrity, approachability and knowledge in the area of student protection.  Whilst students are encouraged to speak up to any trusted adult in the school community, it is important that they know they can access these specific staff members at any time should they have worries, queries or concerns. You will have noticed posters throughout the school depicting our current SSPCs.  The SSPCs are also published on our school website along with information about our student protection processes.  In everything we do at St Joseph's Tara student safety is our highest priority, therefore the SSPCs at our school are key personnel in our overall safeguarding processes.  Please see the poster below depicting our current SSPC team.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT